November 30 '05: Maine emergency management officials have met for a third time to discuss interoperability and communications in their state among first responders, and state and local officials.

The NBC affiliate in the state reported that officials have said communication is the most important tool for keeping the communities safe in the event of a large national or natural disaster.

Linwood Lothrup a community leader and chairman of the homeland security task force in Rockland, Knox County told the station that millions have been spent on bettering communications and technology but that, "Every time something new comes along, the tag word or phrase is interoperability , and the price doubles. It makes an extra burden on those communities to meet local demands and be able to talk to each other."

Lothrup said that much of the problem is with cases when different departments and responder agencies cannot talk to each other using radio. Lothrup also said however that new technologies were being installed that would allow local first responders to communicate with federal, state and local officials and agencies.